Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 11
Adhyaya 165 — नानाधर्माः
Various Dharmas
कुटुम्बैः पञ्चभिर्यामः षष्ठस्तत्र महत्तरः देवासुरमनुष्यैर् वा स जेतुं नैव शक्यते
kuṭumbaiḥ pañcabhiryāmaḥ ṣaṣṭhastatra mahattaraḥ devāsuramanuṣyair vā sa jetuṃ naiva śakyate
അഞ്ച് കുടുംബങ്ങൾ/സംഘങ്ങൾ കൂടെ ഗതി നടക്കുന്നു; എന്നാൽ അവിടെ ആറാമത് അതിലും മഹത്തരം. ദേവന്മാരോ അസുരന്മാരോ മനുഷ്യരോ—ആർക്കും അവനെ ജയിക്കാനാവില്ല.
Lord Agni (teaching governance/nīti to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Model of political strength: a ruler advances supported by five constituent groups; with a superior ‘sixth’ factor, he becomes unconquerable—useful for statecraft assessment and institutional design.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sixfold basis of royal invincibility (pañca-kutumba + ṣaṣṭha-mahattara)","lookup_keywords":["pañca-kutumba","ṣaṣṭha","rajadharma","invincibility","nīti"],"quick_summary":"The verse states that progress is made with five supporting groups, but a sixth, greater factor makes one unconquerable even by gods, asuras, or humans. It encodes a nīti doctrine of composite power."}
Concept: Worldly power is systemic: victory depends on integrated supports; an additional superior factor (often read as dharma, intelligence, or a paramount ally) crowns the system.
Application: Audit governance by mapping the ‘supports’ (administration, treasury, army, allies, populace, etc.) and identify the decisive ‘sixth’—ethical legitimacy, strategic counsel, or sovereign charisma—then strengthen it.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Governance and Political Ethics)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king advancing with five clearly depicted supporting groups (ministers, army, treasury officials, allies/envoys, citizens/retinue), and a sixth towering presence behind—symbolic of supreme counsel/dharma—forming an invincible aura.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal procession with five distinct cohorts in stylized tiers; behind the king a larger guardian-like figure symbolizing the ‘sixth’ (dharma or mahā-mantrin); bold reds and greens, heroic mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, king on throne with gold embellishments; five attendant groups arranged symmetrically; a large golden arch/halo behind representing the ‘sixth’ superior support; rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, schematic court scene labeling five supports and the sixth; clean composition suitable for instructional nīti illustration; restrained palette and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar and marching camp; five divisions shown with banners; an eminent wazir/guru figure larger in scale behind the king to indicate the decisive sixth factor."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पञ्चभिर्यामः = पञ्चभिः + यामः; देवासुरमनुष्यैर् = देवासुरमनुष्यैः; नैव = न + एव
Related Themes: Agni Purana 165.9 (apandita error in dharma/nīti)
FAQs
This verse imparts nīti-vidyā (statecraft): the practical doctrine that power is secured through organized supporting groups/allies, and that the superior “sixth factor” (a decisive strategic advantage) makes a ruler effectively unconquerable.
Beyond mythology and worship, the Agni Purana preserves applied knowledge of governance—coalition-building, force-structure, and strategic superiority—showing its wide scope across dharma, politics, and pragmatic administration.
By grounding political power in disciplined, dharmic organization rather than mere aggression, the teaching implies that righteous rule supported by proper social order reduces adharma-driven conflict and supports the king’s duty (rājadharma), yielding stability and merit through protection of subjects.